IHE 7: Vows & City of Stone
by Jenigoyle
Summary: Here's the latest instalment...


In His Eyes Entry 7: Vows & City of Stone Jenigoyle  
  
Gargs aren't mine…blah blah blah…Whoo hoo, I'm on a writing role now! ;) This one is for Lily, she has done a good job of getting off my arse (*wink wink Lil*), as well as to D. Taina. You guys are the best! Now on with it…  
  
Again I take pen in hand as I record the past nights' occurrences. Every time I think I have nothing to top my previous entries… It was not long after Halloween that I was patrolling the sky and found one of Xanatos's robots on a distant rooftop. Knowing it was serving Xanatos for some devious purpose, I immediately headed for it, fully intending to destroy it. As I neared, I realized it was not just any one of Xanatos's robots, but him himself in his red battle armor! Knowing he had to be up to his usual evil, I immediately dove and attacked. We fought until he finally spoke, telling me that it was unlike me to attack first. I could only glare back at him. What had he expected, a handshake? I ceased attacking him though, and he asked me to be his best man at his wedding. I was sure I had not heard him correctly. I could hardly believe that he would even dare to ask. I was about to tell him that I had no intention of accepting and then… "Demona will be there." That stopped the words cold in my throat. He said something after that, something about her behaving herself I believe, but I did not pay much attention. Demona was going to attend this farce. It was a chance… But a chance for what? As I took off and glided away from Xanatos and the rooftop without another word, my thoughts were warring with each other. I had just realized my feelings for Elisa, but did this really change anything? Anything at all…for either of us? A relationship with Elisa is out of the question, and I had realized that instantaneously after realizing the nature of my feelings for my human friend. She was unattainable. Besides, I am not really sure of Elisa's own feelings for me. But Demona… What if I could persuade her to come back to the clan? She must realize that we are the last of our kind. She is the clan's last chance for children. Would she consider rejoining us, if only to help continue our race? But I have to ask myself if I still love her? I do not know how to answer that. Is it possible to still love her, even after all that has passed? Is it possible that I am able to love both her and Elisa at the same time? I seriously doubt it, but that I am not sure is a serious issue in itself… I guess I should ask myself who is my priority… And I did not even finish that sentence before I answered myself. Elisa is my first priority. I realize that now. I think I still care about Demona…I probably always will…but if I can fall in love, surely I can fall out…can't I? I still know that I have no chance with Elisa. And I do have to think about what is best for the clan. After thinking through all of that, I finally made a decision. I would have to go to the wedding. I had to reach out to Demona again. The others did not agree so readily with me. Elisa was the strongest voice against it. She said it was crazy to even consider it as I sat on my perch, waiting for the sun to rise. I did not even pose in my usual stance that morning, but instead crouched, looking out thoughtfully over the city. I dreamed that day. Actually it was more like a nightmare. I was taken back to the night Demona first left me and tried to kill me. She and Elisa were falling… I leapt after them… But my feet stayed firmly planted on the castle's stone tower. I could only watch as they both continued to fall into a deep blackness that seemed to stretch beyond them into infinity…I watched until I could no longer see them, or hear their screams… I woke that night with an especially loud roar. Without a word to the others I left my perch and went inside the tower. Elisa was just coming up the stairs to greet us. She smiled as she always does the moment she saw me. I wanted to smile back but could only do so half-heartedly. She walked over to me and asked if I had a moment to talk with her. I took her with me to the library. I shut the doors behind us and turned to face her, but she had already walked to the couch and sat down. I joined her, but crouched beside her on the ground, a more comfortable position for a gargoyle. "I want to ask you something Goliath and I expect an honest answer. Are you going tonight?" I knew exactly what she was asking-she was asking if I intended to go to Xanatos's wedding. And she knew why I would go if I did. I did not answer her but looked out the window, needing to avoid those eyes. "You can't go, Big Guy," she said gently but firmly. "You know Xanatos and Demona have some kind of trap set. There's no other explanation why Xanatos would ask you to be his best man!" I absently nodded. She reached down and grasped my hand. I looked down. Her hand looked so small in mine… "Goliath, you can't trust her. She would kill you at the first chance. She has tried before," she said quietly. I could say nothing. She was right about that. But I could still try to appeal to my once-beloved; knowing I have no chance with Elisa has made the sheer loneliness in my soul ache to be soothed. Perhaps that is why I felt so compelled to reach out to Demona that night… And Elisa did not need to know, so long as she did not actually ask for my word that I would not go… "Promise me you won't go." Damn. She did it. I realized that I had several options then: a) give my promise and keep it, b) give my promise then and break it later, or c) tell her that I would give no promise, that I had every intention of going. I did not wish to lie to Elisa, and so I opted for the last choice, but then I made a fatal mistake. I looked back at her, right at her eyes…caring, hopeful… And I could not bear the thought of seeing pain in them. I gave her my word that I would not go. She smiled and nodded, completely trusting me as she rose and walked out the door, having to start her shift for the evening. I went back up to the tower. As I walked about, I saw the half of the Phoenix Gate that Demona had given me long ago, pledging her love to me forever… I had sworn to Elisa… The others were taking off for their nightly patrol, Hudson alone coming inside to watch the television. With a nod in my direction he sat in his chair with his back to me and turned on the television. Elisa had made me promise… I picked up my half of the Gate and turned it over in my hands gently. Could I bring Demona back to the clan? Elisa trusted me…but was this really any of her concern? It was only a wedding…I could defend myself if need be… I tucked the Gate into my belt. With a last glance at Hudson, I left the tower. Before I could change my mind I leapt into the cool night air, gliding upwards towards the Aerie Building… When I reached the castle, I saw Xanatos standing outside and landed in front of him. He seemed pleased (that was most annoying) and handed me a ring, instructing me to give it to him during the ceremony. I took it and walked away from him. I was there for Demona, not his farce of a wedding. He knew that. Arrogant man. I waited with everyone else in the Great Hall until finally Demona arrived. She walked…actually more like stalked…up to the couple, blatantly ignoring me. I said her name softly, trying to get her to look at me. She did not even spare me a glance. "I'm only attending this farce because Xanatos insisted and I need to keep him as an ally. I neither know nor care why you're here." That stung. I tried to remind her of the wedding of Prince Malcolm over a thousand years ago. "I'm not interested in reminiscing." Strike two. We gave the rings to Xanatos and Fox, and immediately Demona walked out. I followed her, ignoring the looks from everyone else-I did not care about leaving the ceremony nor what they thought. Demona was the reason I was there. She walked outside and as I approached her, I tried to remind her of the vows we once made to each other long ago. She seemed receptive at first… She held up her half of the Gate, and without thinking, I joined my half to hers. She smiled. I smiled. And then she laughed. And her laugh made my blood freeze. She immediately spoke an incantation, and we were engulfed by a ball of flames and light. At the last moment, Xanatos, Fox, and Xanatos's father leapt into the flames with us… When the flames dispersed I looked around to find myself in a very familiar place…very familiar… We were in the woods just beyond Castle Wyvern, and it looked just the same as it did in my youth there in Scotland. I realized that Demona must have taken us back in time. She took off and I pursued, but she disappeared in another flash of light with the Gate. I roared in momentary frustration, but soon realized that Demona had obviously come back with a purpose and I must learn what that purpose was. I saw the castle and glided towards it, landing on a deserted tower. Looking up I saw my once-beloved descending to the terrace below. Thinking it was my Demona's future self, I looked over the edge of the tower… And saw her embrace my own younger self. It was the 10th Century Demona. I felt a deep sadness as I watched my younger self embrace her. He knew nothing of the pain he would soon endure… Hudson interrupted my thoughts, asking why I was not at my post. I did not answer, he was shocked at my older self's appearance. He thought I was a creature of sorcery but I told him my story and convinced him to help me. Soon we saw Demona appear through the flames of the Gate, surprising her younger self. My younger self must have left while I was talking to Hudson. Demona took her younger self and began to disappear with the Gate again. I told Hudson not to let my younger self investigate and leapt down just in time between Demona and her younger self. I landed hard, and the next thing I knew, Demona was showing her younger self the Vikings' attack and my stone self. My once-beloved ran towards me but Demona stopped her, telling her that she could not trust me. Trying to rise, I listened in more shock and sadness as Demona told my younger self that the greatest favor she could do me was to "put me out of their misery." Her younger self grew angry and tried to fight Demona. Demona was about to beat her when I finally was able to stand. I grabbed Demona's hand before she could strike, and she turned to strike at me…I steeled myself for the blow… But my once-beloved knocked Demona down. I picked up the Gate that Demona had had. Gently I asked my once-beloved if she was injured, but she was too wrapped up in the events of the future she had just seen. She walked to my stone form, crying against it softly, and it made my sadness swell. I looked at Demona's unconscious form across the floor. How could she have become so…hard? Bitter. Unforgiving. I turned back to her younger self, who asked me what she was to do. I told her to do nothing. "Do not worry. Do not wait or look for this catastrophe. Live in the moment. Attend the petty jealousies and angers that prey upon your heart. Fortify yourself with love and trust and you need not fear this future. But most of all fulfill the vows of love you make, for they can surely save you." She said she would do as I instructed. "You have my oath," she had said. I could only look away, and my eyes fell upon Demona's still form. I could feel tears just starting to blur my vision ever so slightly but they did not fall… "I had hers once, too." With that I picked Demona up. Her younger self spoke the incantation and I paid careful attention to it so as to know what to do if the need ever arose. Des le grate muri tempi et intervalia. Very powerful words indeed. We arrived back to find Xanatos, Fox, and Petros (Xanatos's father's name, I believe) waiting for us. Xanatos said I was his ticket home. That infuriated me, and I told him that I would gladly leave him there if I did not fear the damage he may cause to the time stream. "But you won't. Because you didn't. Time travel's funny that way." I would have given anything to wipe that arrogant, smug smirk off of his face. Instead I forced myself to turn to my once-beloved. I told her good-bye and asked her to remember her promise. The others gathered around me, and we were engulfed in flames once again as I spoke the incantation. We were back at Wyvern, Owen and the man that had performed Xanatos's wedding ceremony waiting for us. Demona stirred in my arms and pushed away. "Get away from me you sentimental fool." I put her down without argument. "You may have prevented me from altering the past but you failed, too. You see I have clear memories of your little inspirational about keeping my vows of love. I never forgot it. And it changed nothing!" I tried to keep my face emotionless. "Obviously history is immutable."  
I looked at her and simply knew that she was right. What was meant to be was meant to be. The infinite tells the finite what is to be. And now I have to accept that. All I could say to her was, "More's the pity." And I felt every syllable of that sentence, the pain of crushed hopes, and yet the relief of letting go of something painful; releasing a burden that I had been carrying since awakening in this strange land. I left the castle then without another word. I left her behind. And I did not look back.  
Elisa was there when I returned to the clock tower, and she was angry. I said nothing as I walked calmly past her, listening half- heartedly as she berated me, reminding me that I had promised not to go. What could I say? She was right, I had been reckless, not heeding my clan as I rushed off to a farce that could have been all too easily avoided. And I had hurt her. I let her down. I had known I would the moment I had gave that faulty promise.  
She left me alone though; they all did-perhaps my face, though I tried to hide it, conveyed the agony of the night's events. I walked into the clock tower and sat down, quietly picking up a book knowing full well that I would not be able to read it.  
  
Elisa had left that night without a word to me. I left her alone, not visiting her at her apartment nor looking for her to come to the library.  
Finally, though, a few nights later she came back.  
Hudson had gone out with the others to get some fresh air and I was sitting with Bronx, reading the previous day's newspaper when Elisa stepped up into the tower.  
I set down the paper and nodded towards her, but did not get up. Instead I absently began to stroke Bronx's back. Elisa was first to speak.  
"Goliath you broke your word."  
I did not look at her. "I know."  
She persisted. "I never would have expected that from you."  
Again I kept from looking at her. "I'm sorry." It seemed so inadequate, but it was all I could think of to say. She stayed silent for a moment and then walked over to where I sat and sat beside me, she too stroking Bronx who whined happily.  
Her hand suddenly brushed mine and we both pulled back, startled.  
I finally looked at her. "I am sorry," I said earnestly. "You were right-"  
"I know why you did it," she interrupted, her eyes meeting mine for the first time that night. "So," she said quietly, "was it worth it?" She was really asking if I had been successful, if I had reached Demona though I am sure she had already known the answer.  
"It is over for good," I told her, and I finally realized the truth of those words. The story spilled out then, and Elisa listened quietly, still stroking Bronx as I told everything that had happened that night. When I was finished, Elisa still said nothing.  
I stood and walked to the case holding the Phoenix Gate. "It is really over, Elisa," I said. She rose then, too, and walked over to me, standing beside me and resting her head against my arm.  
"I'm sorry."  
Hudson and the others came back then, and Elisa left abruptly, saying she needed to go home and get some sleep.  
Though she did not say it, I knew she had forgiven me. And that helped ease my pain…if not for Elisa, I do not believe I could have made it through the events of that night.  
  
It was not long before we had another crises to deal with.  
Demona was up to another scheme.  
We first noticed it the night we awoke to find a statue of Elisa waiting for us inside the tower. All of the clan thought she had left it there, though we could not decide why would do such a thing…  
While the others debated the issue, I stood in front of the statue. It certainly was her likeness-it captured every detail of her beauty…  
I had an uneasy feeling that nothing should happen to the statue and ordered Broadway and Bronx to stay with the statue while the rest of the clan joined me on patrol. I did not know what we were looking for until we found it-  
The entire city was quiet…  
Deathly quiet.  
We saw hundreds of statues-somehow, the humans had turned to stone; or had been turned into stone…  
We visited Hudson's friend Jeffery Robbins, who he had met during the events surrounding the Scrolls of Merlin. There we found a television broadcast of Demona, chanting some spell in Latin. So that is what had happened…  
We left Robbins then, and I ordered the clan to divide into pairs to find Demona. I knew that would be easy; surely she would be out destroying the helpless statues of humans…  
Indeed Brooklyn and I found many shattered remains of statues. I was angry, but not nearly as infuriated as I was when Brooklyn made the comment that one of the destroyed statues could be Elisa…  
"Never!" I roared at him. I would never let that happen. I swore then and there to put an end to Demona's evil once and for all. Brooklyn has never been Demona's biggest fan, certainly not since the night she had tricked him into helping enslave my mind, but even he looked shocked at my declaration. He knew I meant to kill Demona, and I had meant it.  
And the notion had not bothered me beyond the thought of taking the life of just another enemy.  
In that moment I realized that I was over her.  
But then statues of small human girls spoke, telling me that every life is precious and that I should take care not to become what I was fighting against. Did they mean Demona? I could never be like her.  
But the small ones did remind me that death does not solve anything. I would be no better than Demona if I resorted to killing her.  
We followed the destruction to a television studio, where we found Xanatos himself amid the wreckage.  
He told us that he had allowed Demona to make that broadcast, not knowing what she was really doing.  
I have been angry with David Xanatos before, but my anger was never so great with him as it was that moment. I was ready to kill him and I told him so; I threatened to make him pay for the lives Demona had taken.  
With that smug arrogance, he said casually that we needed each other to defeat her and suggested a truce. Remembering the three sisters and what they had warned, I fought my anger and agreed.  
The next night we arrived at the castle. I was angry yet again as I saw Elisa's stone form there, in a fighting pose with Owen. I hoped she would be alright-I did not have time to take her back to the tower.  
Xanatos had a plan for us to end the spell by literally lighting the sky on fire. He said the terms of the spell were that the spell would end when the sky burned. We flew over the city, dispersing some kind of gas. He said that when we were done we would detonate the gas and that would make the sky appear to be ablaze.  
As we flew over the city I commented, grudgingly, to Xanatos that I believed his plan would work.  
"I had no doubt about it." I could hear the smirk under his helmet. "I'm more worried about that beast of yours shredding my tapestry."  
I froze.  
"What tapestry?" I demanded.  
"The 12th Century piece on the South Wall. Bronx was clawing at it when we left."  
I immediately turned back for the castle, Xanatos following me. I glided as fast as I could, fear contracting my every muscle.  
I knew of that wall, and the hidden corridor behind it. It had been a favorite place of mine…and Demona's…  
Elisa was at the Castle now, unguarded…  
I could only hope Bronx could protect Elisa long enough for me to get there.  
Finally we burst into the Great Hall.  
Again I froze as I saw the floor caving in mere feet from Elisa…  
She tipped over…  
I sprang forward, gripping her and Owen. I pulled them up. I can still feel my heart hammering in my chest-I had never come so close to losing Elisa, not even when Broadway had shot her…  
We struggled with Demona and Macbeth, and only by those weird sisters' interference were we able to get the code from Demona to detonate the gas and break the spell. Those sisters took Demona and Macbeth, and we still have no idea who-or what-they were. But I have a feeling we will meet them again. I wish I knew what they were going to do with Macbeth…and Demona. But oddly enough, I can not bring myself to care very much about it.  
We watched as the gas ignited. I had to admit, the sight was impressive. Almost too bright to look at, though…  
Excitedly we ran inside the Great Hall.  
Held my breath as my eyes fell on Elisa's stone form…  
And my heart soared as she came to life.  
We ran to her and she laughed, obviously happy to see us.  
Her eyes met mine and we smiled.  
She and the clan walked out of the Hall, and I followed, but Xanatos held me back. He said that we had made a good team and that he finally knew why he let us live. "You come in handy," he had said. I wanted to knock a few of his teeth out, but instead I just gave him a smirk of my own.  
"As do you. Occasionally." And I left. Finally I had had the last blow. And it felt great.  
Outside in the castle's courtyard I wordlessly picked Elisa up and leapt out into the cool night air.  
The clan returned to the tower but I took Elisa back to her apartment.  
We had not spoken a single word the entire time.  
I crouched as always on her balcony as she unlocked her window.  
"I missed you," I suddenly said. It came out before I had time to think about it.  
But she just smiled and walked back over to me, telling me she had missed me, too. And then we just stood there in silence for countless moments.  
I finally opened my mouth and said her name but she interrupted me.  
"Well," she finally said, "I'll see you tomorrow." I closed my mouth and nodded. She needed to rest, of course. I told her goodnight and left.  
  
But I noticed her watching me until we were both out of each other's sight.  
  
IMPORTANT AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hope you guys enjoyed! I kept City of Stone especially short because it's really Demona's story. I am thinking of doing a complimentary journal entry for her to show her thoughts during her past in these CofS eps…lemme know if that's something you would like to see! Also, I promised to explain more in the events of Eye of the Beholder and Vows, and I will. Please see my other post titled "My Thoughts of the Goliath, Demona, and Elisa Triangle." It's my explanation of my own thoughts on how the relationships between those three developed, fell apart, etc…Next time I'll be doing High Noon and Outfoxed. Until sunset, my friends… 


End file.
